Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Marshal Lige Hoskins was shot and killed while investigating a disturbance at a local soft drink stand.
The proprietor of the sand had gotten into an argument with another man the previous week, in which both men had threatened each other. The argument had become more heated and it was believed it would end in violence between the two. A friend of the proprietor had convinced him to go home to avoid any violence.
After the proprietor went home, the other subject and several of his family members went to the soft drink stand and started drinking. Deputy Marshal Hoskins, who was aware of the feud, went to check up on them but was confronted by one of the family members who told him to remove his hand from his pocket.
When Deputy Marshal Hoskins refused to remove his hand from his pocket the man shot him in the leg. Deputy Marshal Hoskins immediately returned fire, killing the man. He then retreated out of the building, but was attacked by another family member. As the two struggled a third family member came from across the street and shot Deputy Marshal Hoskins four times, killing him.
The man who fatally shot Deputy Marshal Hoskins was arrested and charged with murder. On April 4, 1912, he was tried and acquitted.
Deputy Marshal Hoskins was survived by his wife and nine children. He is buried at Crab Orchard Cemetery, Crab Orchard, Kentucky.
Survivors
Deputy Marshal Hoskins was survived by his wife and nine children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-1505F2B6- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Marshal Hoskins served with the Crab Orchard Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Crab Orchard community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Marshal Hoskins.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Marshal Elijah F. "Lige" Hoskins is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Elijah F. "Lige" Hoskins's cause is highlighted.
How Elijah F. "Lige" Hoskins Compares
Offender Outcome
Acquitted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Elijah F. "Lige" Hoskins is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Elijah F. "Lige" Hoskins was killed by handgun.